Posted on 11/16/2004 1:41:37 AM PST by iso
LONDON - Britain got very little in return for supporting the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq (news - web sites), and U.S. policies make it all but impossible for anyone to act as a bridge between Washington and Europe, French President Jacques Chirac said in an interview published Tuesday.
AP Photo
"I am not sure, with America as it is these days, that it would be easy for someone, even the British, to be an honest broker. Perhaps that will change, but that is the current state of things," Chirac was quoted as saying in an interview with British reporters in Paris.
But British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites), speaking Monday night in London, argued that Europe had an opportunity to engage with the Bush administration.
"Neither Europe nor the U.S. should be arrogant about the other. Here there's an opportunity for Europe. American policy is evolving," Blair said in a speech at the London Guildhall.
"Increasingly both Europe and America are coming to realize that lasting security against fanatics and terrorists cannot be provided by conventional military force but requires a commitment to democracy, freedom and justice," Blair said.
Chirac is due in London on Thursday for a two-day visit to mark the 100th anniversary of the Entente Cordiale between the two nations. The French president will meet with Blair and enjoy the hospitality of Queen Elizabeth II (news - web sites) at Windsor Castle.
Recalling a meeting last year before the war in Iraq, Chirac said he told Blair: "We have different positions on Iraq. Your position should at least have some use. That is to try to obtain in exchange a relaunch of the peace process in the Middle East."
"Well, Britain gave its support, but I did not see much in return. I am not sure that it is in the nature of our American friends at the moment to return favors systematically," The Times newspaper quoted Chirac as saying.
Visiting Washington last week, Blair put the Middle East peace process at the top of his agenda, and Bush pledged to spend America's "political capital" brokering peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Bush announced last week that he planned to visit Europe after he is sworn in for a second term in January. "In my second term, I will work to deepen our trans-Atlantic ties with the nations of Europe," the president said.
Chirac said disagreements over Iraq had not spoiled relations between France and Britain. His most angry exchanges with Blair, he added, were about agriculture, not Iraq.
Blair has cast himself and his nation as serving as a bridge between Europe and the United States, but Chirac suggested it was impossible.
The French president said that strains between Britain and France were often exaggerated.
"It's very curious, this vision of permanent confrontation. I have no confrontation with the English in general or with Blair in particular," The Guardian newspaper quoted Chirac as saying.
The relationship, he reportedly said, is "built on competition, which implies mutual esteem. ... It's a kind of violent love affair."
Attention cheese-eating-surrender-monkey-in-chief: America is here to do the RIGHT thing, not the politically expedient or the back-scratching, favor-returning thing. Unlike a nation of cowards I could name.
I only hope that Chirac picked up whatever Arafat had. The French can not be trusted.
Mr. Chirac fought the same culture and system as a French soldier in Lebanon, he isn't unaware of the quagmires and rues of the enemy. France was in Viet Nam and decided NOT to make it a win or loose all place to engage troops. Wisdom begs us to ask, WHAT IS RIGHT?, not WHO is right?.
Nuke France!!!
Ho Chi Minh wasn't paying $25,000 to the family of every suicide bomber for the destruction of innocents in Saigon, nor was he paying off Chirac's cronies. I'd ask Wisdom the same question, WHAT IS RIGHT?
Chirac thinks UK bribe should be HOW MUCH?
Chirac seems to forget that the UK is a member of NATO - an attack upon one member is an attack upon all?
The fact that he is catcalling the UK for not "getting enough out of the deal" shines a bright light on the greasy realpolitick of the French.
Absolutely. I guess the Nazi loving part of France has taken over. apparently France has decided that money is the measure of their character.
I'll name the nation…"france". A conflagration of reptilian frogs not worthy to be called a nation. The french are the lowest form of life on Earth; cowards who will stand for nothing, cowards who will not continue to fight for their land and families and once they have quit and been defeated will join their occupiers in systematically destroying themselves.
The french are good for nothing and nothing good will ever come from france.
Last April, my family and I visited England for a week. We had a wonderful time, saw some beautiful scenery, slept in a castle, consumed some of the best food we ever had, met some of the friendliest people on earth, and vowed to return in 2006.
In the process, we left several thousand dollars there.
Our decision to visit England was, at its heart, our small way of saying "Thank you for standing by us."
I wonder how many other Yanks have visited the U.K. for the same reasons.
We have no intentions of visiting France or Germany anytime soon.
And what exactly did the US "get" for saving the precious French "culture" from the Nazi's?...
The Europeans - same as the American Left - need to finally wake up to the fact that promoting your values cannot be done by the means of a bribe. I can clearly see the liberals telling me, "It cannot be achieved by the sword either," but their argument is not credible. Let's remember who started the war. "Who lives by the sword, dies by the sword" - is the old saying, however, I tend to agree more with an old Russian one: "He who comes with a sword, will die by a sword." The Islamists have come here with the a sword...
I can understand the EU objecting to the politics of a carrot and stick - they haven't got a stick, have they? Liberals, don't hold your hopes, they are not gonna be able to keep their carrot for much longer either...
We appreciate that very tangible support from our allies. In return my family shop for all our outdoor clothing and such excellent high quality products from the US by mail order (Bean, LL not Mr) and 'blow-out' on our holidays over there in the US. We've 'done' Florida (of course), Arizona, Kalifornia (quaint!! Not!) and Seattle in our time.
We are always looked after wonderfully by you guys!
France will get the same as the Dutch and then awaken to reality.
Struther Martin(The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance)
Peter Lorre(The Maltese Falcon)
Claude Rains(Casablanca)
Eddie Albert(Attack!)
Frank Faylen(Gunfight at the OK Corral)
John Cazale(The Godfather)
No offense to these actors... but they were very effective in playing spineless scum!!
Oh boy...Big bad France tells the world where it's going wrong...Will someone tell Jacques Crapsack to sit down and shutup?
If England is ever in trouble, the USA will stand by her and fight for her because she has always stood with us. And the world knows it. When France is attacked, I hope we'll pop popcorn and watch it on Fox News. And the world knows that, as well. I'd say the Brits have made a very smart choice for their future.
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